How about a win??
I’ve had a few technical issues lately, but for now I am back up and running. I’ve heard a rumor that my comments aren’t working, so if you could be so kind as to leave me one, no matter how short, even if it is to tell me that I have the worst blog you have ever read, then I would greatly appreciate it. But, on to more interesting things!
For starters, how about a win tonight? We have our ace on the mound. Hopefully the King can come through on offense, with a little help from the rest of the deck. We’ve been playing spades with a hand full of clubs lately, but I have faith that this team is not as bad as the past week has made us feel. We know Carp will be ok. Reyes seems to be competent so far (3 runs over 13 innings of work, but only 1 run in support? To paraphrase Mike Shannon, "Come on birds! We need some tallies!"). Rolen is rollin’ and King Albert is back (a little too early, I think, but back none-the-less). These are good things.
But this past week has exposed that we still have a lot of questions to answer before we can return to our blissful ride to the playoffs, such as:
- Where is the rest of the offense now that King Albert is back? Where have the 6 and 5 runs we scored in the ChiSox blowouts gone?
- Will Mulder be healthy enough for the 2nd half? If he is healthy, will he be an asset or a liability? What the he77 happened there anyway?
- What are we looking to get before the trade deadline? A power bat or a power arm? We need both, but we can’t afford both.
- What exploded in the bullpen? (or has it been broken all along???)
- Who will round out the rotation? Will Reyes get kicked back to Memphis (let’s hope not)? Are Suppan, Marquis, and Ponson really who we want pitching in the playoffs?
As I write this, we are up 2-1 in the top of the 6th. Edmonds made a baserunning gaffe and Carpy has not been the sharpest, but right now we are leading and that is what is important. A win is a win no matter how ugly and I’ll take a hard-fought victory anyday.
Update: Rolen just jacked one out… 3-1 Redbirds!
Update 2 (21:37) – 4 relievers, including Izzy, blow the 3-1 lead and we are now losing 4-3. Excuse me while my aneurisym blows.
So far my Card analogy is as follows:
Joker – Reyes (Could turn the game in your favor, but will you get it in time?)
A – Carpenter
K – Pujols
Q – Edmonds? (as in Drama? Cold, I know. Undeserved? Maybe…)
J – Rolen (Not the most powerful, but can win it in a pinch)
Ravings of a Rabid Cardinals Fan 
Testing 1 2 Testing 1 2
That’s a good sign!! Thanks albert!
I am the biggest Cards fan there is. But at some point somebody has got to take in some points. I think we just need to get to the All-Star game and get some rest, but on the otherhand we should be a little concerned. Izzy is jsut not Izzy as much as he wants to believe it. We get ahead of hitters and then give up a 0-2, 1-2 hit, and that is killing us. Our bullpen is not that strong and our starting pitching has been even worse. I am not freaking out at this point, but let’s be honest, there is cause for concern. Mighty Albert cannot do it himself, and in the last three series we have seen that teams are not going to let him beat them. There is no way I am going to rip on Albert at all, but tell me it does not seem that he is trying to hit everything out of the ballpark, and the evidence is his lower batting average. Yes, he has more homers and rbis, but a solo home run in the 9th is not going to do it. I have faith because we have a lot of players that have been there before. LEts just get to the all-star break and we will be fine.
Thanks for the great comment, pdub. Hopefully the ASB will allow us to take stock, rest up, and recuperate from a horrific streak. My goal is to stay in 1st until then. If we can do that, and if Walt has something up his sleeve before the trading deadline, I think we are good to get into the playoffs. Once we get there is another story.